Inhaler for administration of anesthetics



F. A. BARDWELL.

INHALER FOR ADMINISTRATION OF ANESTHETICS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, I918.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

patient, the length of time needed for the' PATENT OFFICE.

A UNITED STATES FREDERICK A. BARDVIELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INHALER FOR ADMINISTRATION OF ANESTHETICS.

Specificatien of Letters Patent.. Patented N 16 1920.

Application filed April 17, 1918. SeriaLNo. 229,026.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatL FnEDERIoK A. BARD- WELL, M. 1)., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inhalers for Administration of Anesthetics,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The particular physical condition of the operation, and the character of the depth of anesthesia required, each dictates theanesthetic to be used, and renders it deslrable for the anesthetist to be able to use any one of the recognized anesthetics, and freone of the known anesthetics, or combina tion of them, may be administered either by the so-c'alled open method" or closed method as may be desired. A further object is to providean inhaler adapted for practically instantaneous change from one anesthetic to another without necessitating removal of the inhaler from the patients face. A further object is to provide a portable inhaler of simple and inexpensive construction which shall combine in one device all of thevaluable and essential features of the more complicated, expensive and cum-' bersome apparatus now on the market.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1' is a central longitudinal section of an inhaler embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is' a perspective view of the same, showing it arranged for the administration of nitrous OXlCl and oxygen, and permitting the addition of ether. Fig. 3 isa side view of the inhaler showing the use of an atomizer bottle in connection therewith.

The main body of the inhaler comprises a somewhat conical shell 1 provided with a cylindrical portion. 2 at its smaller end, which receives the flange 4 of a cover 3. Said flange and portion 2 beingboth cylindrical and snugly fitting, the cover 3 can be easily turned to any angle or slidably withdrawn, F ig. 1 showing it partially removed.

The open end 5 of the inhaler body is provided with a well known soft rubber pneumatic face piece or cushion 6 inclosing its edge, which also serves to hold a wire frame 9 whose function is to retain a quant1ty of gauze 7 above but out of contact with the face of the patient.

At one side of the cone 1 is located an erihaling valve 10 closed against the admission of air by a mica float or disk 11, but ordinarily permitting the ready escape of the patients breath. When it is desired to have th anesthetic rebreathed, the perforated rotatable cap 12 is turned to put its holes 14- out of register with corresponding holes through the fixed flange 13. These holes being thereby closed, the mica disk closes the main opening of the exhaling valve to exhalation as well as. to inhalation, but when these holes are open, the breath escapes freely through them notwithstanding the closure by the mica of the main opening.

At the other side of the cone 1 from the exhaling valve is a nipple 15, designed to be used when desired for the attachment of the tube'through which certain anesthetics may be introduced to the inhaler, but which may be closed by a small rubber cap 16.

I In the cover 3 are three openings; one comprlslng a comparatively large metal tube 17 rising at an angle therewith and designed for the attachment therewith of the gas or rebreathlng bag 19; and another being a small nipple 20 intended for the attachment of the rubber tube from the atomizer bottle, 36, gas tank 29, ethyl chlorid tube or somnoform ampul. The thirdopening 21 is provided with a pivoted cover 22 opened or closed by means of the lamb '24. When open, this permits pouring in ether or other liquid anesthetic, or the pamage of air'to and from the patient.

The easy turning of the cover?) within the inhaler, and its oblique tube 17 with which the gas bag 19 is connected, permits the latter to be located at either side of'the patient; while the slidable fit of the cove enables it to be instantly removed or'replaced whenever necessary.

My apparatus may be operated as f0l lows: When small metal gas tanksare used,

they may be firmly strapped or otherwise fastened to the back of a chair, as illustrated in the drawings, or to any other suitable support, in order thatthe valves 31, 32 may be freely manipulated. The gas and re breathing bag 19 is connected with the tiibe '17, and the flexible tube 25 leading therefrom is connected with the tank 27. of nitrous oxid.

end witha tank 29 of oxygen, the nipple 20 being closed by a suitable cap 16, and

the opening 21 closed by its cover 22. I

W hen thus administering nitrousoxld, the

exhaling valve 10 is not ciosed until ai tor few resoiiations. when. rebreathin ina be 7 i 1 c .1 favored for the greater economy or the nitrous oxid'or other anestnetic, and also to induce deeper respiration, since'the latter will be stimulated by the retained carbon opening 21. onto the gauze 7. The patient,-

now breathing nitrous oxid, oxygen and ether vapor, may receive more ether and be entirely brought under its influence, the nitrous oxid being shut oil but-the oxygen continued as needed. Or the cover 3 with the tube 26 may be removed and the ether treatment continued by the open method, a. 6., by pouring it in through the open end 2, is done with the well-known Blake cone. When it is desired to use nitrous oxid alone, without oxygen, as a preliminary to ether, the gas bag 19 is attached to the inhaler by the tube 17 and cover 3 as beiore, but thetube from the atomizer bottle 36' connected with the nipple 15 by a tube 33, and as soon as the patient exhibits signs or coming under the influence of the gas, air and ether vapor are forced to the patient from the atomizer bottle 3b. smooth and gradual transition, to be followed later by ether by the open method;

In the use of somnoform for briei operations, a short length of flexible tubing 87 is drawn over the point of the glass ampul 35, and the other end of the tube 37 is drawn down on the outside of the nipple 20, thus making an air-tight but flexible connection with the inhaler. The rebreathing bag 19 is connected with the inhaler but all other openings closed, and the inhaler applied to the patients face. The point of the glass ampul within the nipple 20 is now broken ed by pushing the ampul over to one side, permitting the point and liquid somnoiform to descend to the gauze 7.

In using ethyl chlorid from the tube commonly employed for local anesthesia, the cover-3 is removed and the ethyl chlorid The tube 26 is connected at one end with the nipple 15,-and at its other This affords a 7 permit quick oral when deit'is aiso free at an t nos for rotatwo 1 "orement, wheraby 1t maybe readily to be shifted, that thecone may be easily placed in position over thetace of the patient,no matter-on whichside he may be resting. it is to be understood, however, 4- 1 1 m'fii i 1 +1 .nat tieie is sa dent JllQ ion oemeon we cover and the body ofthe cone to normally retain the former in any adjusted position.

There is a distinct advantage in arrangin V g, C

the tube 1'! atan inclination, because, when the pat ent is on one side, the angle between the bag and the tube isv not su'rliciently abrupt. to cause a bend in the flexible bag connection, sharp enough to shut off con1- munication between the bag and the cone, as sometimes happens, where the tube or the cone is parallel with the axis of the cone A important advantage is obtained by the combination of the tube 17, nipple 20 and opening 21. For instance, in using gasox gen, the gas supply and rebreathing bag may be connected with tube 17 and the oxygen-with nipple 20, which is of much smaller diameter than tube 17. During the adminis t ion of the gas and ox gen, another anesthetic may be introcuced through opening 21. If no gas-oxygen tanks are available, or if it preferred to. employ the ethylchlorid-ether sequence, a rebreathing bag may be connected with the tube '17 and ethylchlorid or soinnoform introduced through the nipple 20, and ether later introduced through opening 21. Thusin a single device means are provided by which the gas-oxygen system may be'used alone or in connection with at leastone other diiien ent anesthetic, or two other anesthetics may be substituted .for gas-oxygen. When it is desired to sterilize the parts of the cone the cover a is removed from the cone body, the rubber face piece 6 is slipped off and the wire Frame arm be removed. These parts may then be sterilized in any suitable manner. i

It is evident that this inhaler lends itself to other methods-of use and combinations of anesthetics that rwillreadi'ly suggest themselves to a skilled anesthetist What I claim is: i

1. An inhalercone-closable at itsflsmaller end and having an opening through one side, a float valve closing said opening against inhalation, a flange surrounding said mes free for movement longitudinally of permit the and rebreathiug V opening and valve, a cage having a flange snugly fitting thefirst-named flange but rotatable thereon, and means limiting such rotation, the flanges having holes which come into alinement at one limit of rotation, and out of alinement at the opposite limit. I

2. An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone open at both ends, a cover normally closing one end, said cover being at all times free for movement longitudinally of the cone and also free for complete rotation, said cover being also provided with an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, and an inclined tube extended from said closed end to which a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected and placed in communication with the interior of the cone.

An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone normally closed at one end, said closed-end being provided with an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, means independent of said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with sa'd closed end and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, and means whereby oxygen, gas or an anesthetic may be introduced into the cone at will at a point distant from the closed end.

a. An inhaler of the character described comprising cone normally closed at one end, said closed end being provided with an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, a tube extending from said closed end at a point distant from said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with said closed end and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, a nipple projecting from said closed end through which oxygen or a special anesthetic may be introduced, said nipple being of smaller diameter than said tube, and means normally closing said nipple.

5. An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone normally closed at one end, said closed end being provided with an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, means independent of said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with said closed end and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, an exhaling valve controlling escape of the patients breath from said cone, and means for'closing said valve.

6. An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone normally closed at one end, said closed end being provided with an opening through whichair or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, means independent of said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connectedwith said closed end and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, means whereby oxygen, gas or anesthetic may be introduced into the cone at will at a point distant from the closed end, a nipple projecting from said closed end through which a special anesthetic may beintroduced, and means normally closing said nipple.

7. An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone normally closed at one end, said closed end being provided with an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, means independent of said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with the said closed end and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, means whereby air or anesthetic may be introduced into the cone at will at a point distant from the closed end, an exhaling valve controlling escape of the patients breath from said cone, and means for closing said valve.

8. An inhaler ofthe character described comprising a cone normally closed at one end, said closed end being provided with an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, means independent of said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with said closed end and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, a nipple projecting from the cone at a point distant from the closed end thereof and positioned to permit introduction of oxygen, gas or anesthetic at will, and a removable closure for said nipple.

9. An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone open at both ends, a cover normally closing said end, said cover being at all times free for movement longitudinally of the cone, and also free for complete rotation, said cover having an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced, as may be desired, a closure normally sealing said opening, and means independent of said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with said cover and placed in communication with the interior of the cone.

10. An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone open at one end, a cover having a flange telescoping within one end of said cone, said flange being at all times free for movement longitudinally of the cone and also free for complete rotation, said cover having an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced as desired, a closure normally sealing said opening, and means independent oi said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be secured to said cover and placed in communication with the interior of the cone.

ll. An inhaler of the character described comprisin a cone openat both ends, a cover normally closing said end, said cover being at all times free for movement longitudinally of the cone and also free for complete rotation, said cover having an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced, as may be desired, a closure normally sealing said opening, means independent of said opening whereby a gas and re breathing bag may be connected with said cover and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, a nipple projecting from said cover through which a special anesthetic may be introduced, and means normally closing said nipple. 4

12. An inhaler of the character described comprising 'a cone normally closed at one end, said closed end being provided with an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, a tube extending from said closed end at a point distant from said opening, whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with said closed end and placed in communication withthe interior of the cone, a nipple projecting from said closed end through which oxygen or a special anesthetic may be introduced, said nipple-being of smaller diameter than said tube, means normally closing said nipple, an exhaling valve controlling escape of the patients breath from said cone, and means for closing said valve.

13. An inhaler of the character described comprising a cone normally closed at one end, said closed end being provided with means whereby air or an anesthetic may be introduced at will, a closure normally sealing said opening, means spaced from'said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be connected with said closed end and placed in communication with the interior of the cone, additional means spaced from said opening and the rebreathing bag connection whereby oxygen or a special anesthetic may be introduced into the cone, and removable means whereby a substantial mass of gauze may be loosely supported within said cone in a position spaced from the open end thereof. 7 r

14. An inhaler oi": the character described comprising a cone open at both ends, a cover normally closing one of said ends, said cover being at all times free for movement longitudinally of the cone and also free for complete rotation, said cover having an opening through which air or an anesthetic may be introduced as may be desired, a closure normally sealing said opening, means independent of said opening whereby a gas and rebreathing bag may be conneoted with said cover and placed in communicationwith the interior of the cone, and removable means contiguous to the other end of the cone by which a substantial mass of gauze may be loosely supported within said cone in a position spaced from said end.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of April, 1918.

FREDERICK A. BARDWELL 

